Lock.



Patented Feb. 20, 1900.

2 ShaeQ-Sheet l.

A tz'orney 1N VEN T 0R B. Fensussun.

L O C K.

(Application filed Apr.

(No Model.)

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' W1 TNESSES co.. PHOTO-LITHDV WASHINGTON. n. c.

Patented Feb. 20, I900.

A. R. FERGUSSON. LOCK.

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ggNTOR Amy I NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALAN ROBE FERGUSSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE FERGUSSON LOOK COMPANY, OF NENV JERSEY.

LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,955, dated February 20, 1900.

Application filed April 28,1899.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that LALAN ROBB FERGUSSON, a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to Whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in looks, and more particularly to looks for mailboxes and the like, the object of the invention being to provide a lock which it will be practically impossible to pick, in which the use of a spring-actuated bolt will be avoided, and which Will be comparatively simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, neat in appearance, and most efiectual when in use.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear view illustrating my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the lock, showing the normal position of the parts. Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view showing the positions of the parts when the key is inserted. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view with the parts in their normal positions. Fig. 5 is a similar view with the key inserted. Fig. 6 is a view of the mail-box, showing my improved lock in place; and Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are views of details.

A represents the door of a mail-box, and B a casing for the parts of my improved lock, said casing being made integral with or secured to the inner face of the door by brazing or otherwise. The sides of the casing are provided with laterally-projecting hollow enlargements 1 2, communicating with the interior of the casing, the enlargement I having an angular bore for the accommodation of the angular end 3 of the bolt 4 and the enlargement 2 having a circular bore for the reception of a revoluble sleeve 5, in which the cylindrical inner end of the bolt 4, projects,

and said sleeve is provided with a spiral slot.v

6, into which a pin 6 on the bolt projects for Serial No. 714,898. (No model.)

the purpose of causing a longitudinal movement of the bolt when the sleeve is turned, and thus cause the bolt to engage or be released from its keeper 8 when the sleeve 5 is turned in one direction or the other. While the bolt can be readily manipulated by turning the sleeve 5, motion could not well be imparted to the sleeve by pressure applied to the end of the bolt, and hence the bolt could not be worked back by means of an instrument inserted through the door or between the door and jamb. I-Iowever,to insure against all possibility of the bolt being worked back one end of the slot 6 in the sleeve 5 maybe offset slightly to form a shoulder 10, which will constitute an abutment for the pin (3 and constitute a positive lock for the bolt.

The inner end of the sleeve 5 is contracted, as shown at 7, and constitutes a support or holder for my improved tumbler O and to which said tumbler is secured. The tumbler O is provided around its periphery with peculiarly-arranged projections 12, adapted to aline with and fit in recesses or cut-out portions 13 in a key 14, which will be more fully hereinafter explained.

The tumbler O is provided on each side with peripheral grooves or recesses 15, in which are disposed lugs 16, projecting from arms 17. The arms 17 are provided at their lower ends with holes or openings 18 for the reception of a shaft 19, on which said arms are loosely mounted. A double-coiled spring 20 is wound on the shaft 19 and is provided at its ends with L-shaped arms 21, disposed in recesses 22 in the arms 17 and adapted to normally press the arms 17 against the tumbler O. Thecentral portion of the spring 20 is disposed against a pin 23, which projects through the shaft 19 and extends forward and bears against a plate or strip 24, pivoted to the casing and adapted to be pressed against the tumbler to prevent accidental displacement thereof. 7

The lugs 16, heretofore referred to, are adapted to strike against a projection 25 on the tumbler 0 when said tumbler is operated by other means than my improved key, as Will now be explained. The upper ends of the arms 17 are provided with enlargements 26, disposed in the path of the key and in rear of the tumbler, so that as the key revolves the tumbler, before the projection 25 is engaged by the lug 16, the end of the key will push the arms 17 out of the Way and permit the complete turning of the tumbler to withdraw the bolt. It will thus be seen that should unauthorized persons try to open the door without theaid of the key they would not be able to operate both the tumbler and the arms simultaneously, andhence could not operate the lock.

My improved key 1 z is preferably made concavo-convex in cross-section to conform to the shape of the tumbler, and the door is provided with any approved spring-hinge 27 to open the door when the lock is unlocked.

It will also be seen that my improved lock is in no sense a spring-lock, and it is impossible to lock the door without the aid of the key. In fact the key cannot possibly bewithdrawn, leaving the lock in its unlocked position, as the mere withdrawing of the key will turn the tumbler and push the bolt forward to its locking position.

Various slight changes might be resorted to in the general form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a lock, the combination with a sliding bolt, of a tumbler adapted to turn thereon and operate the same and means on the tumbler adapted to be engaged by a key movable tangentially to said tumbler.

2. In a lock, the combination with a sliding bolt, of a tumbler adapted to turn thereon and operate the same and provided with'a rack adapted to be engaged by a key movable tangentially to'said tumbler.

3. In a lock, the combination of a sliding bolt and a tumbler mounted on the bolt and adapted to turn thereon and transmit motion to the bolt, said tumbler having projections adapted to mesh with shoulders on a key movable tangentially to said tumbler.

4. In a lock, the combination of a revoluble tumbler having projections adapted to be engaged by a key moved tangentially to the tumbler, a sleeve projecting from said tumbler and having a spiral groove, a bolt passing through the tumbler and a pin projecting from the bolt and entering said spiral groove.

5. In a lock, the combination with a bolt and a revoluble tumbler for moving a it, of means adapted to be actuated by the key'after the tumbler has been partially turned for releasing'said tumbler to permit the complete withdrawal of the bolt.

6. In a lock, the combination with a bolt and a revoluble tumbler adapted to operate said bolt, of aspring-actuated device adapted to prevent the full movement of the tumbler and bolt and a key adapted to rotate the tumbler, move said device out of line therewith and effect the full withdrawal of the bolt.

7. In a lock, the combination of a bolt, a revoluble tumbler adapted to operate the bolt, and a shoulder on said tumbler, of a springactuated arm having a portion normally in line with the shoulder on the tumbler and adapted to be moved out of line With said shoulder by a key after the tumbler shall have been partially rotated.

8. In a lock, the combination of a bolt, 2. revoluble tumbler adapted to operate said bolt, and having shoulder, a series of independently-movable spring pre'ssed arms having portions in the path of saidshoulder and a key constructed and adapted to rotate the tumbler and move said arms-out of the path of the shoulder thereon.

9. In a lock, the combination with a revoluble tumbler, of a locking-bolt adapted to be moved by saidtumbler, an arm pivotally connected in proximity to the tumbler, a-lug on the arm in the path of a projectiononthe tumbler and an enlargement on said arm in the path of the key to be inserted so that when the key is inserted it will strike the'enlargement on the arm and'force the'lug out of the path'of' the projection on the tumbler and permit the complete revolution thereof to withdraw the bolt.

10. In a lock,the combination with a revoluble tumblerhaving peripheral projections and a key to rotate said tumbler by engagement with said peripheral projections, abolt'means intermediate of the bolt and tumblerfor converting the rotary motion of the tumbler into longitudinal movement of thebolt, means'for arresting the tumbler before the complete withdrawalof the bolt and a key for rotating the tumbler and actuating said arresting means to permit the complete movement of the tumbler.

11. In a lock,the combination ofa'tumbler,a key adapted to rotate said tumbler by engagement with the periphery'thereof, pivoted arms adapted to arrest the rotation of the tumbler when the latteris rotated otherwise than by the key, said arms having portions normally in the path of the key and adapted to be engaged by said key to move said arms away from the tumbler, a 'bolt and connections intermediate of the tumbler and bolt for moving the'latter.

12. In a lock, the combination of a revoluble tumbler and a key adapted to rotate said tumbler, a-spring bearingagainst the periphery of said tumbler to insure its retention in normal starting-position, a bolt and connections between the bolt and tumbler.

13. In a lock, the combination of a tumbler having its peripheral face curved transversely, projections on said peripheral face, a

bolt, connections between the tumbler'and' bolt for operating the latter, spring-actuated devices adapted to arrest the tumbler and a key curved transversely to conform to the peripheral face of the tumbler and having openings to receive the projections on said peripheral face when moved tangentially thereto to rotate the tumbler and move said spring-actuated devices away from the same.

14:. In alock, the combination of a tumbler, a key adapted to rotate said tumbler by engagement with the peripheral face thereof, shoulders on the tumbler, two independentlylnovable arms having portions normally in line with said shoulders and also having portions in line with the keyway, a bolt and means for transmitting motion from the tumbler to the bolt.

15. In a lock,the'combination with a revoluble tumbler having peripheral projections and a bolt actuated by said tumbler, of a pivoted arm adapted to arrest the tumbler, a shutter bearing against the tumbler to retain it in normal starting position, a spring serving to press the pivoted arm and the shutter toward the periphery of the tumbler and a key for rotating the tumbler and moving said pivoted arm away from the same.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALAN ROBB FERGUSSON.

Witnesses:

JAMES P. MOGOVERN, JAS. T. BECK. 

